Nurture

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)

Frigate (‘Iwa) birds are widely known throughout the pacific. Nicknamed ‘man-o-war’ birds because they are known to regularly harass other seabirds and steal their food. Males have a very distinct, vibrant red pouch that billows out to attract potential mates. Their wingspans can reach upwards of 8 feet with a very distinct forked tail, which allows them to swiftly cut through the air. They nest in the branches of trees throughout Palmyra.

Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)

The white tip reef shark are very docile in nature. Also known as ‘the puppies of the pacific’, they are very curious of their surroundings and are often found investigating their surroudings and those that are in their waters. They live among the reef, feeding primarily on crustaceans.

Twin Apple (Ochrosia oppositifolia)

One of the more underrepresented species of the atoll, the Ochrosia tree is a relative of the plumeria. It produces small, white flowers before its oblong yellow-orange fruit appears in pairs. This gives them their common name of the ‘twin apple’. Once rip they fall to the ground, and are a favorite food among the crabs.